Needle strip for stretching machines



March 8, 1966 A. BECKER 3,238,651

NEEDLE STRIP FOR STRETCHING MACHINES Filed May 14, 1964 /NV[NTOR= ARA/0 BECKER WMM W, W

United States Patent NEEDLE STRIP FOR STRETCHING MACHINES Arno Becker, 11 Bischofi'strasse, Stuttgart- Vaihingen, Germany Filed May 14, 1964, Ser. No. 367,450

Claims priority, application Germany, May 15, 1963,

T 23,995 Claims. (Cl. 38102.91)

The present invention relates to a needle strip for stretching, drying, or setting machines as well as levelling apparatus or the like, wherein each of the parallel needles consists of a part which is secured to and projects from one longitudinal edge of the strip in a straight direction substantially parallel to its upper surface and a pointed end portion which is bent upwardly so as to extend substantially at a right or smaller angle to the straight part, and wherein the pointed end portions of the needles may be arranged so as to form one or several rows extending parallel to the longitudinal edge of the strip.

The known needle strips of this kind have the disadvantage that the fabric rests on the straight part of the needles which extends substantially parallel to the upper surface of the strip. Consequently, when a material is fed loosely into the machine, the needled edge portion thereof is drawn into the corners of the angularly bent needles because it is sagging or when the material is fed while being tightly stretched, the edge portion is drawn into these corners because of its tension. The small round holes in the material which are at first formed by the pointed needle ends are then enlarged into unsightly elongated holes. Furthermore, after the particular finishing process is completed and the fabric is to be removed from the needle strip it is difiicult to withdraw the edge portion of the fabric from the needles since it is hooked deeply into the corners thereof. The elongated holes may thereby be still further enlarged and the fabric may thereby even becorne distorted far beyond the edge portions.

It is an object of the present invention to improve the conventional needle strips of the above-mentioned type in a manner so as to prevent the formation of such elongated holes in the fabric and thereby to protect the fabric and improve its final appearance.

According to the invention this object is attained by providing the needles at their points of connection between the pointed ends and the straight parts which extend substantially parallel to the upper side of the strip with radially projecting supports for the fabric. The advantage is thereby attained that the fabric will now rest on these supports rather than on the parts of the needles which extends substantially parallel to the needle strip and that therefore elongated holes will no longer be formed in the fabric. These supports have the further advantage that the fabric edges can be more easily removed from the needle strips when the particular finishing process is completed.

The mentioned supports may be produced in a simple manner, for example, by providing a transverse web between the adjacent needle rows. This transverse web may consist of a wire of a round or angular cross section, and it may be secured by being clamped between the needle ends of the adjacent rows or by being soldered or welded to the needles.

Further features of the invention consist in providing the supports in the shape of small eyes which are fitted over the pointed needle ends or in the shape of wire loops which are fitted over the pointed ends of several adjacent needles. The eyes or wire loops may also be either clamped, soldered, or welded to the needles.

3,238,651 Patented Mar. 8, 1966 The features and advantages of the present invention will become more clearly apparent from the following detailed description thereof which is to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which FIGURE 1 shows a plan view of a needle strip according to the invention with two rows of needle points and a transverse fabric-supporting web;

FIGURE 2 shows a cross section which is taken along the line IIII of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 shows a plan view of a part of another needle strip according to the invention wit-h one row of needle points and with eyes fitted over the pointed ends of the individual needles;

FIGURE 4 shows a plan view of a part of another needle strip according to the invention with one row of needle points and with wire loops fitted over them; while FIGURE 5 shows a plan view of a part of a further needle strip according to the invention with two rows of needle points and with wire loops fitted over the needle points of one row.

As illustrated in the drawings, each of the needle strips according to the invention comprises a flat strip 1 which is provided with a pair of tapped bores 2 for securing it to its support, and a plurality of parallel needles 3 which are secured at one end to one longitudinal edge of the strip 1 and each of which is bent as shown in FIGURE 2 so as to form a substantially cylindrical web portion or part 5 which projects from the edge of the strip 1 and extends parallel to the upper surface of the strip and a pointed needle end 6 which is bent upwardly so as to extend substantially at a right or smaller angle to the part 5. The needle strips according to FIGURES l, 2, and 5 are provided with needles, the pointed ends 6 of which are arranged in two rows which extend parallel to the longitudinal edge of the strip.

The needle strip as illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2 are provided with fabric support means which in this embodiment comprises a transverse web 7 of wire which is disposed between the two rows of needle ends 6 at the points of their connection to the ends of the parts 5 which extend parallel to the upper side 4 of strip 1. This web 7 and the needles 3 may consist of the same material. Web 7 may either be clamped between the needle ends 6 of the two rows by wedging it between the pointed ends 6 or it may be soldered or welded thereto. As may be seen particularly in FIGURE 2 the fabric 8 will then rest with its lower side 9 on the transverse web 7 and therefore it cannot slide into the corners between the needle ends 6 and the straight parts 5. No unsightly elongated holes will therefore be formed in the fabric 8.

According to the embodiment of the invention, as shown in FIGURE 3, each individual needle end 6 is provided with an eye 10 which is fitted over it and is either clamped, soldered, or welded thereon and adapted to prevent the fabric 8 from sliding into the corner between the needle end 6 and the straight part 5 of each needle.

The needle ends 6 of the needle strips according to FIGURES 4 and 5 are for the same purpose provided with wire loops 11 or 12 which may also either be clamped, soldered, or welded thereon. Each wire loop 11 according to FIGURE 4 bridges three needle ends 6, while each wire loop 12 according to FIGURE 5 bridges two adjacent needle ends 6 of one row. These loops 11 and 12 likewise support the fabric and prevent it from sliding into the corners between the needle ends 6 and the straight parts 5 of the needles.

The transverse wire 7 and the wire loops 11 and 12 do not necessarily have to be secured to the needle ends 6 or even to the needles 3, but they may also be secured in any other suitable manner, for example, by being provided with extensions which are secured to the strip 1.

Although the invention has been illustrated and described With reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it should be understood that it is in no way limited to the details of such embodiments but is capable of numerous modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

The invention having now been fully disclosed, what is claimed is:

1. A needle strip for stretching, drying, setting, or similar apparatuscomprising a flat strip, a plurality of needles secured to said strip and projecting outwardly from one longitudinal edge thereof, each of said needles having a substantially straight portion adjacent to said strip extending substantially parallel to the upper surface'of said strip and a pointed end portion bent upwardly from said straight portion, said end portions of said needles being disposed within at least one row substantially parallel to said longitudinal edge of said strip, and radially projecting support means on said needles at points intermediate said pointed end portions and said straight portions for supporting fabric on said needles, said support means comprising a Wirelike member extending transversely of said needle intermediate said straight portions and said points.

'2. A needle strip for stretching, drying, setting, or similar apparatus comprising a flat strip, a plurality of needles secured to said strip and projecting outwardly from one longitudinal edge thereof, each of said needles having a substantially straight portion adjacent to said strip extending substantially parallel to the upper surface of said strip and a pointed end portion bent upwardly from said straight portion, said end portions of said needles being disposed within at least one row substantially parallel to said longitudinal edge of said strip, and radially projecting support means on said needles at points intermediate said pointed end portions and said straight portions for supporting fabric on said needles, said support means comprising a Wirelike member extending transversely of said needles intermediate said straight portions and said points, said straight parts of said needles having difierent lengths so that said end portions of said needles form at least two rows parallel to said longitudinal edge of said strip, said wirelike member being located between the needles of adjacent rows.

3. A needle strip for stretching, drying, setting, or similar apparatus comprising a flat strip, a plurality of needles secured to said strip and projecting outwardly from one longitudinal edge thereof, each of said needles having a substantially straight portion adjacent to said strip extending substantially parallel to the upper surface of said strip and pointed end portion bent upwardly from said straight 5 portion, said end portions of said needles being disposed within at least one row substantially parallel to said longitudinal edge of said strip, and radially projecting support means on said needles at points intermediate said pointed end portions and said straight portions for supporting a fabric on said needles, said support means comprising eyes fitted over said pointed end portions of said needles.

4. A needle strip for stretching, drying, setting, or similar apparatus comprising a flat strip, a plurality of needles secured to said strip and projecting outwardly from one longitudinal edge thereof, each of said needles having a substantially straight portion adjacent to said strip extending substantially parallel to the upper surface of said strip and pointed end portion bent upwardly from said straight portion, said end portions of said needles being disposed within at least one row substantially parallel to said longitudinal edge of said strip, and radially projecting support means on said needles at points intermediate said pointed end portions and said straight portions for supporting a fabric on said needles, said support means comprising Wire loops fitted over said pointed end por' tions of several adjacent needles.

5. A needle holder for the stretching and tensioning of fabric webs comprising a strip, a plurality of needles extending outwardly from one side of said strip, each of said needles including a substantially cylindrical web portion adjacent said strip and extending outwardly therefrom and a hook portion extending upwardly from said web portion, said hook portion terminating in a narrow point, and a support wider than said web portion located directly below the narrow point of said hook-shaped portion for preventing movement of the fabric web downwardly beyond the narrow point portion.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 551,701 2/1894 Wisner 38-10291 699,685 5/1902 Howard 38-102.9l 1,361,624 12/1920 Schmidt 38-10291 X 2,429,256 10/1947 Block 38-102.91

FRANK J. COHEN, Primary Examiner.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, P. D. LAWSON,

Assistant Examiners. 

1. A NEEDLE STRIP FOR STRETCHING, DRYING SETTING, OR SIMILAR APPARATUS COMPRISING A FLAT STRIP, A PLURALITY OF NEEDLES SECURED TO SAID STRIP AND PROJECTING OUTWARDLY FROM ONE LONGITUDINAL EDGE THEREOF, EACH OF SAID NEEDLES HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY STRAIGHT PORTION ADJACENT TO SAID STRIP EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID STRIP AND A POINTED END PORTION BENT UPWARDLY FROM SAID STRAIGHT PORTION, SAID END PORTIONS OF SAID NEEDLES BEING DISPOSED WITHIN AT LEAST ONE ROW SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO SAID LONGITUDINAL EDGE OF SAID STRIP, AND RADIALLY PROJECTING SUPPORT MEANS ON SAID NEEDLES AT POINTS INTERMEDIATE SAID POINTED END PORTIONS AND SAID STRAIGHT PORTIONS FOR SUPPORTING FABRIC ON SAID NEEDLES, SAID SUPPORT MEANS COMPRISING A WIRELIKE MEMBER EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF SAID NEEDLE INTERMEDIATE SAID STRAIGHT PORTIONS AND SAID POINTS. 